Books protected by plastic and glass, pictures worth more than 1,000 words, and the men and women dedicated to cherishing them all met at the Antiquarian book fair held by the Bustamante Enterprises at the Pasadena Convention Center this weekend.
From the moment a visitor walks in the door, they are immersed in a world of like-minded people. Books lovers, collectors, sellers, or just someone looking for that specific article of literary fiction were all hoping to find their fix at the Antiquarian Book, Print, Photo, and paper Fair.
One exhibit that was especially busy was The Zephyr Used + Rare Books, of Vancouver, WA, coordinated by Kol Shaver. The display consisted of over a hundred rare and collection-worthy books, but also printing photo albums and other accounts. Mr. Shaver explained that he had a passion for collecting “things with things in them.”
Shaver’s exhibit contained items selling anywhere from $25 to $1,000. The same measuring stick could be used for the entire fair where a book could be found for as little as $10 or an edition of Fantasia signed by Walt Disney that was going for $15,000.
One display that hits close to home for Pasadena City College students was Book Alley, whose home shop is only blocks away from the campus. The booth was headed by employee Eloise Gelber, who said the business had been attending the book fair for 12 years. When asked about her own reasons for working with books and collecting she said, “There are all sorts of reasons to collect…There’s something about holding a book in your hand that is satisfying”.
The Collectors and books aren’t the only sight to see at these types of event, but the visitors as well. One couple that was particularly eye catching was a father, Arnell Powell, and his young daughter.
Powell said he enjoyed bringing his daughter to events such as “Foster a Love for Reading”. While Powell browsed around the various displays looking for works by Edward Albee, his daughter sat not too far reading her own copy of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”.
Many booksellers at this Bustamante event also feature at other events along the west coast. The biggest one upcoming will be the 50th Annual California Antiquarian Book Fair held by the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America in Oakland next February.
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